Heat transfer labels have gained broad acceptance in the garment industry. Care labels, brand identifiers, graphical, numerical and other type of expressions used as decorations or for providing information for shirts, pants, sportswear, and personal identification labels are all examples of such current applications. Heat transfer labels have also been used broadly in other identification or personalization products such as caps, binders, shoes, tote bags, toys, consumer electronics, sports gear, etc. that are found in schools, sport activities, camps, gyms, and other places.
Heat transfer labels typically use hot melt or heat activated adhesives. Heat transfer labels typically use hot melt adhesives which become sticky at elevated temperature so as to enable application of the label to the substrate, but after cooling the transfer label can feel stiff or rough to the wearer at ambient temperature. This may be due to the fact that such adhesives are not breathable.
When such heat transfer labels are applied to highly breathable performance-ware (e.g. jerseys, sporting attire, athletic equipment, pads, etc.), the adhesives can prevent the labeled area from breathing, that is, air flow is restricted due to the spaces normally found in a woven tag or article being blocked or clogged with adhesive. Such labels thus cannot absorb moisture or perspiration and therefore perspiration or moisture cannot be wicked away from the skin, causing discomfort to the wearer and in some instances potentially causing rashes, blemishes or other skin irritations leading to consumer complaints. Throughout this disclosure, breathability refers to the ability of a fabric or label to permit moisture to be moved away from the wearer of the garment. Wicking refers to the phenomena of condensed water being absorbed by a fabric or a label and thus taken away from the skin surface.
Thus, there is a need for a breathable heat transfer label which allows moisture and perspiration to pass through the label and away from the surface of the wearer, particularly when such labels are used in performance apparel.